History

The Sacramento District Dental Foundation was established in 1969 as the charitable arm of the Sacramento District Dental Society. Since its inception, the Foundation has worked to meet the oral health needs of the communities of the wider Sacramento area. The organization is successful due to the expertise and generosity of the member dentists of the Sacramento District Dental Society. They are the volunteers who provide free dental and oral health services to those in need. The Foundation’s initiatives have grown into the collection of programs that helps improve the health and quality of life of thousands of people each year:

• • The Helen Hamilton Fund, established by the first SDDS Executive Director, Helen Hamilton, has served the orthodontic needs of children more than 40 years.
  • Smiles for Kids, founded by Dr. Gerard Ortner and Dr. Don Rollofson in 1991, was adopted as a project in 2003 to serve uninsured and underinsured children between the ages of 1 and 18. The program has since provided oral health screenings and treatment to more than 522,000 kids. To date, more than $15.6 million has been donated in free dental services.

• Smiles for Big Kids was founded in 2009 in response to the unmet oral health needs of uninsured, low-income adults by providing pro bono treatment for individuals in urgent need of dental care. Since its launch, the program has provided more than 630 adults with free dental treatment valued at more than $1,762,000.
• Educational outreach programs such as the 1st Tooth or 1st Birthday Campaign, Tooth Fairy dental education program, and more.

“The incorporation of a Foundation will give us the framework upon which we may build future programs relating to local issues in the areas of dental health and education as well as dental care.”